Downtime
by LiaraForever
Summary: The crew enjoys a little downtime during ME3


"This is a stupid game," Liara grumbled as she unbuttoned her top and removed it.

Shepard leered at her half naked girlfriend. "I do believe the great Dr. T'Soni is a sore loser."

Liara gave her lover a withering look. "We should play a real game like chess and see who is the loser then. Games of chance require no real skill, and anyways I think you're cheating. How can you win every hand?"

The beautiful Asari was clearly pouting and Shepard found it irresistibly cute. "Poker isn't just a game of chance, Liara, there is skill involved. Not everyone can master the art of the bluff. Having nothing, but making your opponent think you have a huge hand takes a certain amount of skill to pull off. Your problem is you wear your emotions quite plainly on that gorgeous face of yours. You have to find your poker face."

Shepard grinned at Liara, eyes roving, taking in the long neck, drifting down to the ample breasts. The roguish smile coupled with the hunger in her eyes caused a flutter in the Asari's belly, a warmth in her heart that only this human could invoke. "Oh? And what is my face telling you now?"

Shepard regarded her lover for moment then stood and moved around the table. She pulled the Asari up, her eyes locked on the beautiful blue depths of Liara's. "It's telling me that I don't have to win at strip poker to get you out of your clothes." She reached for Liara's face, caressing her cheek, trailing down to the slender shoulders. The Asari's sigh of pleasure brought a predatory light to Shepard's eyes. She had intimate knowledge of the beautiful body before her and planned on putting all of that knowledge to use tonight. Her hands moved to Liara's back, fingertips blazing a path of fire up her spine. A low moan escaped the Asari's lips and Shepard moved in to capture those lips with her own.

The chime of the door announced an untimely visitor. "Someone better be dying," Shepard mumbled as Liara scrambled around collecting her discarded clothing. She opened the door as Liara finished the last button on her shirt.

Garrus pushed past Shepard making his way univited into the Commander's quarters. "Come on in, " Shepard said to the empty doorway, "make yourself at home."

Garrus looked around taking in Shepards flushed face and Liara's unevenly buttoned shirt. He grinned at Shepard. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?" he asked. The evil gleam in his eyes told Shepard that Garrus knew exactly what he was interrupting. He plopped himself down on her sofa, reclining back and hooking his hands behind his head he beamed at the two flustered women. "So whatcha up to?"

Shepard glared at the Turian. "Something you needed, Garrus?"

"Nope, just bored."

"Don't you have something to calibrate or upgrade?"

"Nope." Shepard's frustrated sigh amused the Turian. He turned his attention to Liara. "So, Liara, been dressing yourself long?"

"What do you mean?" Liara looked down and saw that in her haste she had buttoned her shirt wrong. "Oh, I...uh..."

The door chimed again. "Really?" Shepard asked of no one in particular. She opened the door to find her second in command Ashley Williams standing in the doorway.

"Ashley," Garrus greeted, "Come on in and join the party. I was just explaining to Liara that someone of her age should know how to properly button a shirt by now."

Ashley moved past Shepard and seated herself next to Garrus. She took in Liara's disheveled appearance and embarrassed expression and immediately caught on to the situation. A wide grin spread across her face. "Well I was gonna see if Shepard wanted to go over some reports but this looks like a lot more fun."

The wicked gleam in Ashley's eyes and the playful smile that lit her face pushed Shepard's frustration level back down. Ashley's teasing felt good. It meant the girl had truely forgiven her for her stint with Cerberus and wanted to rekindle the easy friendship they used to share.

Her second in command's renewed faith in her meant the world to Shepard and Liara silently thanked the goddess for the happiness on her lover's face and for the many friends she had made since Shepard came into her life. She sat down, pulling Shepard onto her lap. She reveled in the warmth of her lover's body against her own and glared at Garrus and Ashely as they made mock gagging sounds.

"I'd say get a room," Ashley quipped, "but I guess we're in it."

Laughter filled the air as the door chimed again.

"It's open," Shepard called.

Tali walked in. "I went to see Garrus but he wasn't there and EDI told me everyone seemed to be gathering here. Should I be hurt I wasn't invited?"

"We were just about to call you up here, Tali." Ashley said patting the sofa next to her. "Wouldn't be a party without our little Quarian."

Tali accepted the invitation and sat down beside her. Ashley threw a companionable arm around her shoulders. "You don't look like some big, ugly bug under that suit do you, Tali?" She grinned at Garrus. "No offence, big guy." She added.

Garrus muttered something about skinny human girls and no respect but his eyes shone with a happy light that filled Shepard's heart, almost bringing tears to her eyes. She leaned against Liara savouring her lover's embrace. Looking at each of her companions she thought about how far they had come together.

Ashley whose family history used to hold her back, make her doubt herself, doubt her worth to the Alliance, to Shepard, to anyone. Ashley who used to mistrust aliens so much that Shepard wasn't sure she was going to work out on board the Normandy. Now the girl sat with her arm around a Quarian as she smiled her most charming smile at the big Turian beside her. She exuded confidence and Shepard couldn't be more proud of the woman she had become. That Ashley counted her amongst her closest friends was something Shepard vowed never to take for granted.

Her gaze shifted to Tali. Sweet, sensitive Tali. The young Quarian's enthusiasm for life and all the challenges it brings was infectious and Shepard hoped with every ounce of her being that the girl could hold on to that through the trials that lay ahead of them. She cherished Tali's friendship and found the Quarian to be an unending source of joy in her life. Tali had found her place as a leader amongst her people, yet even after winning back her homeworld she chose to remain at Shepard's side. That kind of loyalty was rare and hard won and Shepard counted herself lucky to be considered worthy in Tali's mind.

Then there was Garrus. The Turian was her rock. He was always there for her, his loyalty unquestionable. Whenever she felt like she had reached her limits he was there to lend her his strength and help her push just a little bit further. His was a strong shoulder to lean on, and she leaned on it a lot. She couldn't do what she was doing without him and she hoped he realized how much his friendship meant to her.

Shepard felt Liara's arms tighten around her. There were no words to describe her feelings for her Asari. Nothing she could say would even come close to what she felt for her lover. Liara was her sun, her whole world revolved around her and she would die without her. Everything she did was for Liara. When a situation seemed hopeless, when if felt like they could never win the war against the reapers, she would think of Liara, think of what it would mean if she failed. Liara inspired her to do the impossible, and for Liara she WOULD win this war.

Shepard was glad that after all they had been through, and all that was yet to come, her friends could still find comfort and even a little bit of happiness in each other. She swiped at the tears that were suddenly stinging her eyes. "EDI."

"Yes, Shepard?" EDI's sultry voice replied.

"We're moving this party to the lounge you and Joker gather the crew and meet us there."

"Ohhhh," Joker's voice cut in, "can we get Javik drunk and tattoo a unicorn on his butt? Or maybe a great big smiley face. Getting tossed out an airlock would be worth it to see his face in the morning when he wakes up and sees his butt smiling at the universe."

Liara's musical laughter filled the room. "Joker if you pull that stunt off I will worship at your feet."

Word got around fast and by the time they reached the lounge half the crew was already there. Alcohol was being poured and Joker had Javik cornered trying to get him to imbibe. Furniture was pushed aside to form a makeshift dance floor. The room was charged with an excited energy. This was Shepard's crew, her family. The fate of the galaxy rested squarely on their shoulders and each and every one of them knew it. They had put their faith in Shepard and would follow her wherever she led them. No matter how impossible the odds they trusted her to get them through it. For now though, for this one night they would forget all about the war, they would forget all about the billions of people whose lives lay in their hands. They would draw strength and comfort from each other and have a little fun. They deserved it.

Shepard held her hand out to Liara. "Care to dance, M'Lady?"

"Ha," Javik called out, "even I know you can't dance, Shepard."

The Commander grinned at the snickers and words of agreement that surrounded her. "Well then I guess it's a good thing I have a strong partner to lead me." She twirled Liara onto the dance floor.

They danced, drank, laughed. Everyone had a good time. Their already strong bonds were reinforced and looking around Shepard knew she couldn't ask for a better crew. The party was still going strong when she caught Liara's eye and nodded toward the door. Their attempt to leave unnoticed didn't go as planned.

"Where you two going?" Joker called out. "The party's just getting started."

"Oh," Ashley chimed in, "I think they have a private party to get to. On the Commander's bed."

Shepard rolled her eyes at the catcalls and whistles that followed. "That's right, I have a private party with a beautiful woman to get to. You guys enjoy the rest of your night, I know I will. Oh, and I swear if I hear my door chime I will throw whoever is on the other side out the nearest airlock." She grabbed Liara's hand and led her out the door to a round of raucous applause.

They made their way back to Shepard's quarters in record time. "Alone at last." Liara quipped. "Your friends can be so annoying."

Shepard laughed and pulled Liara into her arms. "How come they're my friends when they're annoying and your friends when they're out saving the galaxy from certain doom?"

Liara smiled and Shepard's heart fluttered at the sight. "That's just the way it is, Shepard, better get used to it. Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?"

Shepard pulled Liara closer, nibbling along her jawline. "I believe we were here." She kissed a path down the slender neck to the base of the throat. "Or maybe we were here." Liara trembled in her arms, her body responding to Shepard's gentle touch.

Liara's eyes locked onto Shepard's and no words needed to be said. The Asari wound her hand through Shepard's hair pulling her lover's lips to her own. A moan of pleasure escaped them both as Liara's eyes blackened and she pulled Shepard onto the bed and embraced eternity with the woman she loved.


End file.
